At 00.37 hours on 3 Dec 1942 the Wallsend (Master Norman Caulfield, OBE), dispersed from convoy ON-146, was torpedoed by U-552 north of the Cape Verde Islands. The ship sank after being hit by two coups de grâce at 01.14 and 01.42 hours. Four crew members were lost The master was taken prisoner, landed at St. Nazaire on 15 December and taken to the POW camp Milag Nord. 30 crew members and six gunners landed at Tarrafal Bay, Cape Verde Islands.